St. Louis Blues Synthesis

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In the piece “St. Louis Blues,” sung by Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong on the cornet, there is a notable distinction in the relationship that these two artists are displaying throughout the song. This piece, performed in 1925, incorporates a AABA chorus expressed through a very slow tempo. In the first 12-bars, Bessie conveys a melancholic, somber tone made to invoke memories of the past (“I hate to see the evening sun go down”) followed by Armstrong’s cornet response matching her tone. From the first chorus of the piece, there is a distinguished call-and-response succession heard between the two. His response to Bessie’s vocals can otherwise paint this picture showing off how much mournful and sadder Armstrong is than her. More of this

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